Michael Owen is convinced that Napoli striker Rasmus Hojlund would be a player who he would want to see under Michael Carrick’s direction at Manchester United.
Rasmus Hojlund was offloaded from Old Trafford and signed for Napoli on loan last September during the reign of Ruben Amorim at the Premier League club.
The 23-year-old Danish forward had been deemed surplus to requirements after Manchester United splashed out on the signing of Benjamin Sesko in 2025.
Hojlund has enjoyed a career revival in Italy with Serie A side Napoli after his struggles to lead the frontline as Man Utd’s main striking option at Old Trafford.
Carrick says Top 5 isn’t enough. Honestly, based on his run, do you think we are a genuine Title Contender for next season?
Michael Owen thinks Michael Carrick has broken the ‘chain’ around Man Utd strikers amid his Rasmus Hojlund claim
Benjamin Sesko has been in a stunning run of form in the second half of the 2025-26 Premier League season after Michael Carrick returned to Old Trafford in January.
The 22-year-old Slovenia international has scored an impressive six times in his last 12 Premier League matches under Manchester United legend Carrick.
Sesko, who was signed from RB Leipzig, found the back of the net for Man Utd against Brentford in the Premier League clash at Old Trafford on Monday evening.
Speaking after Man Utd’s 2-1 win over Brentford, Michael Owen thinks the environment is now ‘perfect’ for a striker like Rasmus Hojlund at the club.
“What I find difficult is when Manchester United, for the last few years, I don’t care who you play up front, I don’t care who you play in the team in certain positions, I think it’s very hard to judge when the team aren’t functioning,” he said on Premier League Productions.
“Rene [Rene Meulensteen] made a point there about strikers. We’re the end of the chain.
“The chain is broken anyway; there is no striker. It’s pointless in many ways. I would love to see Hojlund, what he can do now.”
Did Manchester United make a mistake sending Rasmus Hojlund on loan?
Michael Owen would back a Rasmus Hojlund run at Man Utd now after Michael Carrick’s impact at Old Trafford
United included a £38m permanent transfer fee obligation for Napoli to sign Hojlund this summer if certain conditions were met during the 2025-26 Serie A campaign.
Owen claimed that Hojlund’s success at Napoli was proof that the Denmark international was not entirely at fault for his struggles at Man Utd in recent seasons.
“I mean, he played in a Manchester United team that was broken, that didn’t have any of those links, that were playing poorly,” he added.
“Who’s to say he’s not very, very good? You know, he’s actually doing really well in Italy now.”
Hojlund has netted 14 times and registered six assists for Italian side Napoli in 40 matches across all competitions since his United exit on loan in 2025.
Receive a digest of our best United content each week direct to your mailbox
